• 16-Day China Tour: Beijing, Tibet, Pandas & Yangtze Cruise

    ★★★★★

    4.9/5 766 Latest reviews

    Tour Code: ODY-CN-012

    Destination: Beijing, Xi’an, Lhasa, Chengdu, Yangtze Cruise, Shanghai

Duration

16 Days

Tour Type

Private & Bespoke

Tour Style

Cultural

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About This Trip

What to see and experience in this 16-day China tour package? Try to hike on the ancient Great Wall at the Mutianyu section and savor the old Beijingers’ life atmosphere in the Hutongs in Beijing. Visit the world-famous Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an and listen to the story behind this spot. Experience the Tibetan culture in Lhasa with a visit to the Potala Palace. Interact with the adorable giant pandas and walk through Jinli Old Street in Chengdu. In addition, you will marvel at the scenic Yangtze River cruise and take in the old and new of Shanghai.

Itinerary Summary

DAYPLACEHIGHLIGHTS
1 – 4BeijingMutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Hutongs, Temple of Heaven, Houhai Bar Street
5Xi’anTerracotta Warriors, Ancient City Wall
6 – 8LhasaPotala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka Park, Sera Monastery, Barkhor Street
9 – 11ChengduGiant Panda, Wenshu Temple, Jinli Old Street, Huanglongxi Ancient Town
12 – 14Yangtze River CruiseThree Gorges Dam, Shibaozhai, Shennong Stream, Lesser Three Gorges, Fengdu Ghost City
15 – 16ShanghaiThe Bund, Yu Garden, Yuyuan Market, Fuxing Park to Bugaoli Walking Tour, Shanghai World Financial Center
Quick Question

Itinerary

Welcome to China! Upon your arrival at the Beijing airport, your private guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax and recover from jet lag.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

In the morning, you will take a walk at Tiananmen Square, once the most important plaza in China, and visit the remarkable Forbidden City. As China’s No.1 palace complex, it was home to 26 emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties famous for grand architectures, exquisite ornaments and royal relics.

In the afternoon, take a rickshaw tour to explore the hutongs, disappearing alleys and neighborhoods of Old Beijing, where you can see typical local courtyard houses and daily life. Next, walk along the relaxing Houhai Bar Street.

Optional: At night, a wonderful Chinese Kung Fu Show will make you indulge in the charm of Chinese martial art.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Today you will have a full day tour to the amazing Great Wall (Mutianyu section, round-trip cable cars included). You will marvel at the breathtaking scenery of the wind walls built along the mountain ridge, which was once the northern barrier of Beijing for centuries.

Later, stroll along the peaceful Sacred Road, a royal road guarded by many vivid stone statues of divine beasts and officials.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

This day you will visit the Temple of Heaven and Longing Pearl Store. Later you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, your private guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

You will visit the incredible Terracotta Warriors. Here you’ll see over 8,000 life-size Qin Dynasty era terracotta soldiers, chariots and horses, an army designed to protect Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, in the afterlife. Follow to a jade gallery in the morning.

After lunch, enjoy a cycling tour along the top of Ancient City Wall (1-2 hours), and take a view of the old Xi’an in one side and the modern one in the other side on the wall. Tonight is free for you.

Optional: A high recommendation is the Tang Dynasty Show, which will let you have a memorable night in Xi’an.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

On this day you will be free to explore the city with a long history on your own before your private guide escorts you to the airport for the flight to Lhasa.

Upon your arrival at Gonggar airport, you will be met by your private guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in, you’re advised to rest at your hotel to get adapted to the high altitude.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Your sightseeing today begins with Lhasa’s cardinal landmark – Potala Palace. As a holy land of Tibetan culture, there are hundreds of common Tibetans trek miles in a few months, worshipping the palace for their traditional beliefs and family’s blessing.

Later, you will admire the sacred temple – Jokhang Temple, the cradle of Tibetan Buddhism and the city center of Old Lhasa, following by the pilgrimage route with local devotees. Finally, wheel the holy wheelers at Barkhor Street.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

After breakfast, you will tour the charming Norbulingka Park, which is known as “the Summer Palace of Tibet”, and then come to Drepung Monastery, an ancient temple once housed 10,000 monks in its heyday.

Your tour ends with Sera Monastery. Built in 1419, it is one of the three largest monasteries in Tibet and is quite famous for its traditional Buddhism scripture debates.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Enjoy the free day before your private guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight to Chengdu, home to the cute giant pandas. Upon arriving, your personal guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Today you will go to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to enjoy intimate contact with panda and learn more about this endangered spice. Later, visit the age-old Wenshu Temple and sit in its special tea house to have a cup of Chinese tea as the locals usually do. After that, stroll leisurely along Jinli Old Street.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Today’s excursion will take you to Huanglongxi Ancient Town, one of the top 10 old towns in China. Here you will escape from the hustle and bustle of cities and enjoy the inner calm.

After that, head back to Chengdu and take the train to Chongqing where your private guide will pick you up and escort you to the Yangtze cruise.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Sailing along the Yangtze River, you will see its amazing natural beauty and real China countryside views. Various onboard entertaining programs, like Tai Chi Lesson, could provide you excellent access to Chinese culture. There will be a shore excursion to Shibaozhai, a unique tower built according to the natural element of the mountain.

Optional: If you are interested in Chinese ghost stories, it is recommended to take a land tour to Fengdu Ghost City organized by the cruise company at your own expense.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Take a shore excursion to the tranquil waters of Lesser Three Gorges, the most beautiful part of the Yangtze River. This afternoon you will enjoy an excursion to Shennong Stream by smaller vessels.

Optional: This morning you can enjoy a shore excursion to White Emperor City with extra charges.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Today you will have a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam, one of the world’s largest hydroelectric complex. Disembark the cruise at around 12:00 noon and meet your local guide at the pier. You can stroll around the local Riverside Park and visit a local market before heading to the airport for your flight to Shanghai.

Upon arrival, be met and transferred to your hotel.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Today, your first stop is the Bund – Shanghai’s standout landmark. Later, your guide will escort you to Yu Garden to see the stunning old Chinese garden nestled in central Shanghai. Nearby is Yuyuan Market with plenty of street food, shops and entertainment.

Make a stopover at a silk shop and then take a relaxing walking tour from Fuxing Park to Bugaoli. During the tour, you will have a chance to see locals’ daily life, traditional residential architecture and try some popular dim sum. The World Financial Center will be the last stop, which offers you a panoramic view of Shanghai.

Optional: Tonight the amazing acrobatics show will bring you a memorable experience in Shanghai (with extra charges).

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

All the good things come to an end. You will be escorted to the airport for taking the flight home.

🍽 Local dining

◷ Flexible timing

▱ Beijing

Why Choose Inner Mongolia Jiuhong Travel Service Co., Ltd.

12-Year TripAdvisor Award

Travellers’ Choice winner every year since 2013

No Commission Shopping

Zero shopping stops, zero pressure, zero hidden agendas

100% Private

Every tour is exclusively yours — no strangers, no shared buses

Expert Local Guides

Licensed, English-speaking guides with deep local knowledge

Real reviews from real travellers

  • u003cemu003eu003cemu003eI highly recommend Inner Mongolia Jiuhong Travel Service Co., Ltd. The team is very easy to work with, has excellent ideas and the guides are knowledgeable and easy to be with. Very solid itineraries and execution — flexible, high quality, and great value for money.u003c/emu003eu003c/emu003e
    James T.
    Verified · TripAdvisor
  • u003cemu003eu003cemu003eWe visited both Xi’an and Shanghai under Jiuhong’s arrangement and received the same first-class service in both cities. The guides were knowledgeable, flexible, and happy to discuss all aspects of modern China — giving insights difficult to obtain elsewhere. Strongly recommended.u003c/emu003eu003c/emu003e
    Greenfly
    Couples · Verified · TripAdvisor
  • u003cemu003eu003cemu003eWe had a wonderful action-packed day. Fei Fei was amazing — her knowledge was very impressive and she was a real pleasure to be with. This was certainly the highlight of our stay in this beautiful city. Thanks so much.u003c/emu003eu003c/emu003e
    Ludovic V.
    Couples · London, UK · Verified · TripAdvisor

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